Animal rights campaigners voice concerns as Chinese ivory dealers move online to beat tougher regulations

Tighter regulations on trading in wildlife could force dealers to move online, campaigners have warned as top experts gather in Hong Kong to discuss how to tackle the consumer demand.

WildAid Hong Kong provided two examples, including a Facebook user attempting to source elephant tusks in Hong Kong and another individual trying to trade ivory pieces on Chinese messaging platform WeChat.

“Buying ivory online or in a store both have the same devastating effect – sky-high poaching rates and the catastrophic collapse of African elephant populations,” said WildAid campaign manager Alex Hofford.

A report released on Thursday by wildlife trade monitor Traffic and conservation group WWF showed a rapid rise in buying and selling on online platforms in Asia.

The report said the activity bolstered a trend towards trading on social networks such as Facebook, WeChat and QQ, another mainland messaging service.

READ MORE: With Hong Kong’s help, an end to the ivory trade is in sight

Cheryl Lo, senior wildlife crime officer at WWF Hong Kong, said online trading was a “systemic problem” on the mainland.